LIVE TV
Odisha
Photo: OTV
Digapahandi Zilla Parishad member Bipin Pradhan has been expelled from Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for his alleged ‘anti-party’ activities on Friday.
The expulsion came a day after two factions of the ruling party resented the last-minute cancellation of the bypoll to Digapahandi block chairperson post. Pradhan was one of the contenders for the post.
“Shri Bipin Chandra Pradhan, S/o Late Biswanath Pradhan, ZP Member, Digapahandi, District- Ganjam has been expelled from the Party for his anti-party activities by Shri Naveen Patnaik, President, Biju Janata Dal,” read the official statement released by the BJD.
As per reports, tension gripped Digapahandi area after the cancellation of the block chairman bypoll on Thursday as two different groups of BJD fought among each other. The supporters of Surya Patra’s son Biplab Patra and supporters of Bipin Pradhan were involved in a word of exchange among themselves.
Pradhan’s supporters staged a road blockade and shouted slogans as the voting was cancelled. Even some of the supporters of Pradnan tried to break into the block office.
Considering the alleged indiscipline activities by Pradhan’s supporters, BJD took strong disciplinary action and expelled him from the party.
Reacting to his expulsion from the party, Pradhan said that he has not created any kind of disturbances in the party, rather the workers protested in a democratic way after the cancellation of the election.
“I have not done any anti-party activities. After the cancellation of the election, some workers of the party protested in a democratic way. The party might have thought that I had created disturbances and as a result, I have been expelled. I have never done any anti-party activities for the last 30 years. How could I do these kinds of activities now?” said Pradhan.
“The way in which Bipin Pradhan’s supporters created the disturbances is not at all acceptable. None among the 25 samiti members have won the election by using Bipin Pradhan’s posters,” said Digapahandi BJD General Secretary Prashant Kumar Pradhan.
Notably, the Chairman election for Digapahandi block was necessitated following the demise of former Chairman Sunita Sethi two months back.
